Pneumatic dispatch apparatus



Jan. 23, 1934. 1 STOETZEL 1,944,769

PNEUMATIC DISPATCH APPARATUS Filed March 16, 1929 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1934 I UNITED STATES PNEUMATIC DISPATCH APPARATUS Joseph John Stoetzel, Queens Village, N. Y., as-

signor to G & G Atlas Systems, Inc.,'New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application March 16, 1929. Serial No. 347,520

Y 16 Claims. (Cl. 243-712) The present invention relates to pneumatic dispatch tubevsystems and has for an object to provide an improved air controlling and regulating device of the minimum liow type.

It is desirable so to control the air ilowing in the pneumatic tube line that when there is no carrier in the line a minimum oW of air will be maintained and when the line is loaded with one or more carriers an operative current of air will be induced.

The present invention provides an improved arrangement comprising a valve which will be maintained in substantially closed condition when the line is entirely open but will automatically openwhen the line is obstructed by a carrier inserted therein. I

'Ihe nature and Objects of the invention will be better understood from a description of a particular embodiment of the invention for the purpose of which description reference should be had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof and in which- Figure l is a central sectional view of an improved valve and adjacent delivery outlet embodying the invention, and

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1.

` The apparatus shown for the purposes of illustrating the invention comprises a valve controlled in part by gravity and in part by the 'current of air in the dispatch tube, the arrangement being such that the two forces act in opposition to each other to mainain the valve open when a carrier in the dispatch tube obstructs the free flow of air and substantially closed when the line is clear.

Referring to the drawing, a valve 5 controls valve casing is such that the air current will impinge more directly upon the wing 12 .tending to close the valve.

The closing position of the valve is limited by an adjustable stop screw 15 extending through a slot 16 in the casing and engaging an adjustable iiller block 17. The screw and block can be adjusted up and down in the slot 1'6 and secured in adjusted position. The adjusted position of the ller block and screw determine the width of opening of the port'between the end of the wing 11 and a filler block 18.

A carrier discharge outlet 20 is provided -at one side of the valve. As shown, the valve casing is extended to form the outlet and the ldispatch tube 6 extends into this casing. The outlet is closed at its lower end by an outlet valve 21 of usual construction except that its washer 23 is extended to overlie the end of a passage 24 formed within the valve casing but outside of the tube 6. This passagel leads to the valve chamber and immediately upon opening of the valve 21 admits atmospheric air to the dispatch tube behind the carrier, thus preventing the postibility of the carrier being held back by suction.

In operation when there is no carrier in the line, the valve 5 will be maintained in closed position by the suction in the exhaust tube 8; when a carrier is inserted in the line and the free ilow of air thereby obstructed the flow through the minimum opening of the Valve will cause a partial vacuum in the dispatch tube 6 and as the pressure on the two sides of the valve is more nearly equalized the valve will open to permit a ow of air for moving the carrier. When the carrier passes on and the tube is no longer obstructed by a carrier the ovf of air will suiiithe flow of air from the dispatch tube 6 through a,ciently increase to close the valve 5. The closing the valve casing '7 to the exhaust tube 8. If the dispatch tube system is of the vacuum type, the exhaust tube 8 may lead 'to a suitable suction pump. The valve which is pivoted at 10 comprises oppositely extending wings 11, 12 which close the passage through the valve casing. vThe wings may be of equal width but of diierent weight' and of diierent length to effect the desired operation. As shown, the wing 11 is weighted and the valve is so positioned in the port 'that when the valve is controlled by gravity alone it will assume an open position. The wing 12 is longer to provide a larger area and the arrangement is such that the greater pressure of the current of air on this larger area will tend to close the valve. Furthermore, as shown, the relative position of the Valve in the port of the of the valve is further insured as the carrier passes the discharge tube by the free admission of air through the port 24.

The foregoing particular description is illustrative merely and is not intended as defining the limits of the invention. I

I claim:

1. In a control device for a pneumatic dispatch transmission tube, a valve casing, and a valve normally held open by gravity but arranged tobe closed by the air pressure when the flow of air exceeds a predetermined limit and to be held closed by the diierence in pressure on the two sides of the valve, a slight flow of air being permitted when said valve is closed.

2. A valve casing having a port, and a valve pivoted in said port and normally balanced to be lll) 2?v l held in open position by gravity, said valve having a Wing against which air flowing through the port impinges tending to move said valve to closed position.

3. A valve casing having a port, and a valve pivoted in said casing to close the port thereof, said valve being arranged to be held vnormally in open-position by gravity Yand to ybe `closed by the pressure of a flowing stream of air against a portion thereof under predetermined conditions, a slight flow of air being permitted when said valve is closed.

4. A valve casing having a port, .and a valve eccentrically pivoted in said port and normally balanced to be moved to open position by. gravity,

said valve having a wing projecting intothe :path

of air ilowing through said valve casing to cause a closing movement of said valve.

5. A valve casing having a port, a .valve movably mounted in said port and normally gravity controlled to open position, and means whereby said valve is moved to closed position by theflow of a current of air through said valve port, said valve permitting a slight'flow of air when closed.

6. The combination with a valve casing'having aport and a valve adapted vto close said port and arranged tobe moved to closed position against a force tending to open the same by a current of airimpinging thereagainst, of a carrier olis- 'charge outlet .adjacent said valve casing and having a pivoted closure, and a port closed by the pivoted closure and leading into said `valve casing.

'7. In a pneumatic dispatch system a dispatch tube, means for creating a suction insaid tube lto cause a flow of air therethrough, and a valve for controlling the suction, said valve being urged by gravity toward open position and being urged `by said flow of air into substantially closed position, a limited flowof air being permitted around sa-id valve when closed. n

18. 'In-a pneumatic dispatch system a dispatch tubey normally in communication with the atmosphere but adapted-to be cut off from ysuch communication upon insertion of a carrier, means "connected with said tube for creating va ow of air lthrough said tube, Vand avalve between said rtube and means adapted to be held closed by a pressure dilerential created by a predetermined r'ninimum'ilow of air through said tube around said valve,said valve being automatically opened by gravity upon ,checking said flow due to the insertionv of a `carrier.

9. vIna lpneumatic dispatch system al dispatch tube, means for producing and maintaining a flow of airtherethrough, a valve for regulating the flow of yair through said tube, said valve being controlled Adirectly by the streamA of air to close the valve when the -ow exceeds a normal carrier 'propelling rate, saidfvalve when closed permitting a minimum flow which is normally maintained, and means attached tosaid valve forV opening the valve Whenever the flow drops below said minimum.

10. In a pneumatic dispatch system aidispatch 'tubefmeans for producing and maintaining Ya flow of-fa'ir therethrough, a valve for regulating the now ofy air through said tube, said valve being .controlled directly bythe stream f airA to'rapidly close the valve when theV iiow exceeds a predetermined carrier propelling rate, said valve when closed permitting a minimum flow which is normally maintained, and means attached to said valve for rapidly opening the valve whenever the flow drops below said minimum.

l1. Power saving apparatus for apneumatic tube -systempf the dual Anew type,fsaid apparatus comprising a normally closed valve, a motor for opening the valve and holding said valve open uin 4response to a changed air pressure upon the dispatch of a carrier, the said valve being closed by V the .kinetic `action of the air column upon the valve when the carrier is delivered.

12. In `a pneumatic tube system of the dual flow type, yan air flow controlling valve retained in a closed position by reason of thev air pressure or the partial vacuum in a chamber on one side of said valve, and means attached to the valve and operative to open it because of the pressureson opposite sidesof the valve approaching a balance.

13. In a pneumatic ytube system ofthe dual flow type, an airiiow controlling'valve retained in a closed'position by reason of the rair pressure or the partial vacuum in a chamber on one side of said valve, .and vmeans attached to the valve and operative to open it because oi the pressures on opposite sides of the valve approaching a balance, said valve to be kclosed by `thevkinetic action of theairupon the release of a carrier from the air flow.

14. In a :pneumatic dispatch system -of the minimum flow type, a'transmission tube, anexhaust tube connected toa source of suction,.and a normally closed control valve interposed-between the .tubes for regulating the -flow of `air therethroughaminimum flow of-.air being-permitted when the valve is closed,.said valve being directly'responsive to'pressure variationsin the'transmission tube forcausing opening and closing thereof. l

l5. Ina .pneumatic dispatch tube `system of the minimum Aiiow type, atransmission tube, an exhaust tube connected toa source of suction; and a'normally closed :control valve interposed between the tubes forregulatingthe flow. of air therethrough, .a 4minimum-110W lofair being permitted Whenthe'valve is closed, saidfcontrol device including a valve member normally held on its seat by ysuction acting v'directly ,on lthe under side thereof, and means arranged'to assist inmoving vthe valve member to its openposition in 'responseto lthe direct actionof `theincreased suctionon theupper sideofthe Avalve member resulting from the intro'ductionof a carrier" in the trans-mission tube.

;16. In a pneumatic dispatch'systema dispatch tube, means for creating anair flow. through said tube, a yvalve adjacent the. delivery .endofsaid tube `for-controlling the operationl of 'saidmeans ys'ai'd valvefpermittinga predetermined minimum flow and being heldin-closed ,positionfby the 11ov Y vpressure differential on the two sides thereof during said minimum. flowv and beingshifted :by

Ygrav-ity toopen position .whenever saidtair'ow is reduced below a predetermined minimum 

